Galley unit and galley monument

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a galley unit for containing items of food or other items. The galley unit comprises a cabinet, a first and a second front door arranged to close the cabinet, a first guiding rail and a second guiding rail extending both in a lateral direction for guiding the first and second front doors. The first and second front doors are arranged to be slideable in the first and second guiding rails, wherein the first guiding rail is mounted in a top wall of the cabinet and the first front door is provided with the second guiding rail for a sliding engagement of the second front door.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a galley unit and a galley monument provided with such galley unit.

BACKGROUND

Galley units are used in aircrafts for containing items of food or other items. The galley units are usually mounted in the galley monument in a pantry of an aircraft. The known galley unit comprises a cabinet, at least two front doors arranged to close the cabinet, a first guiding rail and a second guiding rail extending in a lateral direction for guiding the front doors. The first guiding rail is mounted at the top wall of the galley unit. The second guiding rail can be arranged at the bottom wall of the galley unit. Both guiding rails are required to obtain a rigid sliding structure. The front doors are arranged to be slideable in the first and second guiding rails. Furthermore, the front doors can be moveable between a locked position and a sliding position.

In use the front doors of the galley can be opened and closed to get and store food items or other items. A disadvantage of the known galley unit is that in an open position the second guiding rail at the bottom of the galley can accumulate dirt and food residues. The accumulated dirt in the second guiding rail can hamper a smooth sliding of the doors. Furthermore, the second guiding rail can be difficult to clean from the accumulated dirt and food residues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a galley unit with an improved serviceability.

According to an aspect of the invention this object can be achieved by a galley unit comprising a cabinet, a first and a second front doors arranged to close the cabinet, a first guiding rail and a second guiding rail extending in a lateral direction for guiding the front doors, the first and second front doors are arranged to be slideable in the first and second guiding rails, wherein the first guiding rail is mounted at the galley unit to guide an upperside of the first door and the first front door is provided with the second guiding rail for a sliding engagement of the second front door. By providing the second guiding rail on the first front door it is possible to guide the second front door along the first front. The position of the second guiding rail on the first front door reduces accumulation of dirt and food residues and enables easier cleaning of the second guiding rail compared to the conventional position of the second guiding rail at the bottom wall of the galley unit.

In an embodiment the second guiding rail comprises a first profile arranged for sliding engagement with a second profile provided on the second front door, the second profile being similar to the first profile. In order to improve the engagement between the first and the second front door, the second guiding rail at the first front door can be provided with the first profile that matches the second similar profile of the second guiding rail at the second front door. Furthermore, the second guiding rail can be integrally manufactured in the first front door, which may reduce the weight of the galley unit, assembly costs, bill of material and maintenance.

In a further embodiment the first profile is protruding from the back of the first front door and the second profile is extending inwards in the front of the second front door. In this arrangement accumulation of dirt and food residues can be further reduces because, in a closed position of the first and second front door the profile protrudes inwards to the inside of the cabinet.

In a still further embodiment the first profile is protruding from the front of the first front door and the second profile is extending inwards at the back of the second front door.

In a further embodiment the first and second profiles comprises respectively a first dovetail profile and a second dove tail profile. The dovetail profiles provides a rigid sliding structure.

In a still further embodiment the second guiding rail is positioned at substantially half of the height of the first or second front doors. Position of the second guide rail at half the height of the first or second front door result in a stable sliding structure.

In a further embodiment the second guiding rail is provided at the second front door. Providing both doors with the second guiding rail result in a cabinet from which both the first and second front door can slide in front of each other.

In a further embodiment the second guiding rail is integrated in one or both of the first and second front doors. Integrating the second guiding rail in the first or second front door may result in a reduction of weight, bill of material and maintenance.

In a further embodiment the first and second profiles are provided with a repellent coating. Such repellent coating avoids sticking of dirt on the rails. An example of such a coating is a hydrophobic coating or a superhydrophobic coating.

In a further embodiment the first and second front doors are moveable between a locked position and a sliding position. When the cabinet is closed both the first and the second front doors are in a locked position. For opening of the cabinet one of the first or second front doors is released and moved to the sliding position, while the other front door remains in its locked position, such that the one front door can slide before the other front door.

In a further embodiment the galley unit comprises latches arranged to hold the first and second doors in the locked position and to guide the first door from the locked position to the sliding position. The latches hold the front doors in the locked position and can guide the front door from the locked position to the slideable position.

In a further embodiment the galley unit comprises an aligning device arranged to align one of the first or second front door with respect to the other in the sliding position. This arrangement aligns the one of the first or second front door with respect to the other door such that the first or second front door becomes in an aligned and slideable position with respect to each other front door.

In a further embodiment the aligning device comprises a first magnet positioned at the the cabinet and a second magnet positioned at the backside of the first and/or second front door, wherein in the locked position the first magnet and second magnet are positioned such that first and second magnet mutually repel each other.

The first magnet can be mounted for example, in the first rail or at an horizontal wall of the galley unit. When one of the first or second front doors is released from its locked position, the repelling force of the magnets aligns the released front door to its slideable position with respect to the other front door.

The invention also relates to a galley monument provided with a galley unit as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 13.

These and other aspects of the invention will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter and with reference to the accompanied drawing wherein;

FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a galley monument and a galley unit,

FIG. 2 a shows a side view and FIG. 2 b shows a perspective view of a first front door of the galley unit,

FIG. 3 shows an details of a profile of first front door of the galley unit,

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the second front door in front of the first front door, and

FIG. 5 shows the perspective view of the galley unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the figures the same reference numbers indicate like or similar parts.

FIG. 1 shows a galley monument 1 for mounting a galley unit 2. The galley monument 1 can be provided in a passenger aircraft for containing items of food or other items. The galley unit is also suitable for use in any other situations in which catering is required and is adapted for application in which the space available is restricted, as is the case in aircrafts and, for example, in trains and ships.

The galley unit 2 comprises a cabinet 3 provided with side walls 4,5, a top wall 6 and a bottom wall 7. Furthermore, the galley unit 2 comprises a first front door 8, a second front door 9 and a first guiding rail 10 mounted on the top wall 6 of the galley unit, the first guiding rail 10 is extending in a lateral direction for guiding an upper side of the first and second front doors. Furthermore, a second guiding rail 11 can be laterally provided on the first front door 8 and/or the second front door 9. The first and second front doors 8,9 are arranged to be slideable in the first and second guiding rails 10,11. The second guiding rail 11 is arranged to provide a sliding engagement between the first front door 8 and second front door 9.

An advantage of the position of the second guiding rail compared to a conventional galley unit wherein the first and second front doors are slideable mounted in a first and second guiding rails, which are respectively provided at the top and bottom wall of the galley unit, is that accumulation of dirt and food residues on the second rail is reduced. Furthermore, the position of the second guiding rail 11 enables an easier accessibility for cleaning.

FIG. 2 a shows a side view and FIG. 2 b shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the first front door 8 and a second front door 9. The second guiding rail 11 may comprise a first dovetail profile 12 protruding from the back of the first front door 8 and a second dovetail profile 13 extending inwards in the front of the second front door 9. The second guiding rail 11 can be provided at half the height of the first and second front doors 8,9. In this embodiment the outer circumference of the first dovetail profile 12 matches the inner circumference of the second dovetail profile 13 for a sliding engagement of the first and the second front door 8,9. In an embodiment the first and second dovetail profiles 12,13 can be provided on both the front and back sides of the first and second front doors 8,9.

Alternatively, the second guiding rail 11 may comprise a first dovetail profile protruding from the back of the first front door and a second dovetail profile extending inwards in the front of the second front door. In an embodiment the first and second dovetail profiles can be provided on both the front and back sides of both the first and second front doors 8,9.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the first and second dovetail profiles 12,13 at the front and back side of the first front door and second front doors 8,9.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of an slideable arrangement of the first and second front door 8,9 wherein the first dovetail profile 12 is engaged with the second dovetail profile 13. The front doors 8,9 can be made of aluminum panels. The dovetail profiles in the front doors 8,9 can be obtained by extruding aluminum panels. In this way, the second guiding rail 10 can be integrated in the first and second front doors 8,9, which reduces weight and assembly time required for assembling the galley unit. This arrangement enables the guiding of one of the front doors 8 in front of the other front door 9 or vice versa along the guiding rails 10,11.

Furthermore, the dovetail profiles 12,13 can be provided with a dirt or dust repelling coating. Such a coating can be for example a hydrophobic coating which is well known for the person skilled in the art.

In an embodiment the first front door 8 and second front door 9 are moveable between a locked position and a sliding position. Furthermore, the galley unit can comprise latches 14,15,16,17 to hold the first and second front door 8,9 in the locked position and to guide the first or second front door from the locked position to the slideable position. Two latches 16,17 can be positioned near the upperside of the front doors at the galley unit and two latches 14,15 can be positioned near to bottom side of the front doors 8,9 at the galley unit. Furthermore, the galley unit can be provided with an alignment device comprising a first permanent magnet mounted at the top wall of the galley unit or the first guiding rail 8 and a second permanent magnet mounted at the top of the back sides of the first and second front doors.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the galley 50 provided with a first permanent magnet 51 mounted at the top wall 6 of the galley 50 and a second permanent magnet 52 mounted at the top of the back sides of the first and second front doors 8,9. The first and second permanent magnets 51,52 may comprise neodymium magnets, which are aligned parallel to each other so that the first and second neodymium magnets repel each other when the first and/or the second front door is in the locked position. If one of the first or second front door 8,9 is released from the locked position, a repelling force between the first and second neodymium magnets 51,52 moves the released front door 8 with respect to the other front door 9, such that the first dovetail profiles 12 becomes aligned with the second dovetail profile 13 so that the first font door 8 is slideable along the second front door 9.

In an embodiment multiple guiding rails 11 can be laterally mounted on the first and second front doors, for example, at one third and at two third of the height of the first and second front doors.

The invention can be summarized as a galley unit for containing items of food or other items. The galley unit comprises a cabinet, a first and a second front door arranged to close the cabinet, a first guiding rail and a second guiding rail extending both in a lateral direction for guiding the first and second front doors. The first and second front doors are arranged to be slideable in the first and second guiding rails, wherein the first guiding rail is mounted in a top wall of the cabinet and the first front door is provided with the second guiding rail for a sliding engagement of the second front door. 

1. Galley unit for containing items of food or other items comprising a cabinet, at first and a second front door arranged to close the cabinet, a first guiding rail and a second guiding rail extending in a lateral direction for guiding the first and second front doors, the first and second front doors being further arranged to be slideable in the first and second guiding rails, wherein the first guiding rail is mounted at the galley unit to guide an upper side of the first door and the first front door is provided with the second guiding rail for a sliding engagement of the second front door.
 2. Galley unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second guiding rail comprises a first profile arranged for sliding engagement with a second profile provided on the second front door, the second profile being similar to the first profile.
 3. Galley unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first profile is protruding from the back of the first front door and the second profile is extending inwards in the front of the second front door.
 4. Galley unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first profile is protruding from the front of the first front door and the second profile is extending inwards at the back of the second front door.
 5. Galley unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second profiles comprises respectively a first dovetail profile and a second dove tail profile.
 6. Galley unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second guiding rail is positioned at substantially half of the height of the first or second front doors.
 7. Galley unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second guiding rail is provided at the second front door.
 8. Galley unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second guiding rail is integrated in one or both of the first and second front doors.
 9. Galley unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and/or the second profiles are provided with a dust repellent coating.
 10. Galley unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second front doors are moveable between a locked position and a sliding position.
 11. Galley unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the galley unit comprises latches arranged to hold the first and second doors in the locked position and to guide the first door from the locked position to the sliding position.
 12. Galley unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the galley unit comprises an aligning device arranged to align one of the first or second front door with respect to the other front door in the sliding position.
 13. Galley unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the aligning device comprises a first magnet positioned at the galley unit and a second magnet positioned at the backside of the first and/or second front door, wherein in the locked position the first magnet and second magnet are positioned such that first and second magnet mutually repel each other.
 14. Galley monument provided with a galley unit as claimed in claim
 1. 